Trace-fastener.



I UNITED STATEs Patented September 15,1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

TRACE-FASTEN ER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 739,203, dated September 15, 1903.

Application filed March 6,1903. sesame. 146.568- (No modem To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN MURDOOK Mo- CORMIOK, a citizen of the United States, residing at Newton, in the'county of Catawba and State of North Carolina, have invented a new and useful Trace-Fastener, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improved tracefastener for whiflietrees, and has for its object to provide a simple, inexpensive, and efficient device of this character by means of which the trace may be quickly and easily attached to and detached from the whiffietree, the relative disposition of the several parts being such that the greater the pressure or pull on the trace the tighter the parts will be clamped together, thereby preventing accidental displacement of the trace and insuring a firm connection between the parts at all times.

A further object of the invention is to provide a trace-fastener in which the use of pins, springs, and similar auxiliary fastening devices is entirely obviated, the'sleeve or cuff secured to the whiffletree being provided with an angular extension carrying one of the locking members, the mating member being secured to the trace or tug, so that when the parts are interlocked there will be no rattling and the end of the cuff or collar and trace will present a smooth unobstructed surface.

The invention consists in the construction and novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claims hereto appended, it being understood that various changes in form, proportion, and minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention. A

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective View of a portion ofa whiffletree, showing my improved trace-fastener applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the same. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a detail perspective View showing the two members comprising the fastener detached from the whiffietree, and Fig. 5 is a perspective view showopening 7.

1 fit in corresponding recesses 3 in the sockets or cuffs 4, being secured therein in any suitable manner, as by bolts, rivets, or like fastening devices. The sockets or cufis 4: are provided, respectively, with outwardlyextending converging arms 5, constituting one of the coupling members, the ends'of which are inclined or beveled, as shown at 6, and the inner faces of these arms are provided with a rectangular opening 7, defining a pair of parallel shoulders 8 and forming a contracted throat 9, through which the corresponding coupling member is introduced, as will be explained more fully hereinafter. The outer face of the arm 5 is provided with a longitudinally-disposed groove or channel 10, which extends from the beveled end 6 of the arm rearwardly, communicating with the The rear end wall of the opening 7 is inclined or beveled outwardly from the inner face of the arm 2, as shown at 11, and the opposite end wall of said opening forms a shoulder 12, against which the end of the corresponding coupling member abuts when the parts are interlocked.

Secured in the end of the trace or tug 13 in any suitable manner-as by screws, rivets, or the like-is the shank 14 of a bar or strap, which forms the other locking member. The bar or strap is provided with an inclined or beveled face 15, corresponding to the inclination of the end of the arm 2 and against which'it abuts when the members are interlocked, the strap or bar being also provided with an integral reduced extension or neck 16, terminating in an enlarged head 17, having an inclined end portion 17 corresponding to the inclined end wall of the opening 7 and defining a shoulder 18, which bears against the shoulder12, as clearly shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings. The head 17 is provided with oppositely-disposed laterally-extending ribs 18', adapted to engage the shoulders 8 of the arms 2.

The operation of my device will be readily understood and is as follows: IVhen it is desired to connect the trace with the whiffietree, the head 17 is inserted through the opening 7 from the outside, and after being turned at right angles the end of the trace is then forced inwardly in the are of a circle until the inclined face 15 engages the beveled end of the arm 2 and the inclined end of the head 17 abuts against the beveled end wall of the opening 7, securely locking the parts together. In this position the laterally-extending ribs 18 will rest against the shoulders 8 and the contracted portion or neck 16 of the stay or bar fits snugly within the groove or channel 10, thereby permitting an unobstructed surface or, in other words, a smooth connection between the end of the trace and the whiffietree.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that I have provided an exceedingly simple and inexpensive trace-fastener and one that is not liable to become accidentally detached, the shoulder 18 of the head 17, bearing against the shoulder 12 in the arm 2, preventing any longitudinal movement of the parts, the ribs bearing against the shoulders preventing lateral displacement, while by reason of the peculiar construction and disposition of the interlocking members any direct strain or pull exerted on the trace will only tend to more securely clamp the parts together.

111 Fig. 5 I have shown a slightly-different manner of securing the sleeve or cuff to the whifiletree and adapted particularly for use where the tree and trace are subjected to considerable strain. In this case the end of the whifiietree extends through an opening in the end of the sleeve or cuff, the sleeve being secured therein in any suitable manner, and the end of the shank 14, instead of being secured to the trace, is provided with a suitable opening 19, adapted to receive an open link 19, to which is attached the draft-chain 20.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. I11 a device of the class specified, a member provided on opposite faces with slots of diiferent width, and a second member having a tongue fitting within the smaller slot and provided with flanges adapted to fit within the larger of the slots.

2. In a device of the class specified, a member having a transverse opening and provided with receiving-slots on its opposite faces, one of such slots being of greater width than the other, and a second member having a tongue fitting within the smaller slot and extending through the opening, said tongue having laterally-extending flanges fitting within the larger of the slots.

3. A trace-fastener comprising two members of which one is provided with a tongue and the second with an opening for the passage of said tongue, the tongue being provided with an enlarged head having flanged portions bearing against the inner face of the second member to thereby prevent lateral disengagement of the two.

4. A trace-fastener comprising two members one having an opening and the other a tongue provided with an enlarged head, the tongue being inserted through the opening and its head bearing on one side of the member while its main body portion bears against the opposite side of said member, thereby to prevent either lateral or longitudinal separation of the two members.

5. A trace-fastener comprising two mem bers one of said members having a tongue provided with an enlarged flanged head, and a second member having an opening and provided with a slot on each side, one of the slots being larger than the other and adapted to receive the flange of the tongue while the smaller slot in the opposite end of said member receives the body portion of the tongue.

. 6. A trace-fastener comprising a cuff or sleeve, an angular extension having an inclined end portion secured thereto, said extension being provided with a rectangular opening on one side thereof defining a pair of inwardly-extending shoulders, the rear end wall of said opening being inclined or beveled, a groove or channel formed in the opposite side of the extension and communicating with said opening, an interlocking member provided with an enlarged head and laterally-extending ribs fitting within the rectangular opening, said interlocking member being also provided with a reduced neck portion adapted to fit within the groove or channel in the angular extension when the parts are interlocked.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto aflixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JOHN MURDOOK MCCORMICK.

\Vitnesses:

JOHN W. BLACKWELDER, EDWARD B. BROWN. 

